10. moments in time: exploring the history of the lake ... · spanish and british colonial period...
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10. MOMENTS IN TIME:Exploring the History of the Lake Pontchartrain Basin
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???W HICH EVENTS DO I FIND M O S T INTERESTING IN
THE HISTORY OF THE LAKE P ONTCHARTRAIN BASIN?
IF I COULD SELECT ONE DAY IN HISTORY T O VISIT
LAKE P ONTCHARTRAIN, WHICH DAY WOULD IT BE?
IF LAKE P ONTCHARTRAIN N E V E R EXISTED, H O W
WOULD THE HISTORY OF THE BASIN BE DIFFERENT?
Essential Questions:
W HAT WOULD BE M Y DIARY ENTRY F O R A TRIP T OTHE LAKE WITH M Y FAMILY O N A PARTICULAR DAYIN THE 1700S, 1800S, AND 1900S?
W HAT IS M Y FUTURE VISION F O R LAKEP ONTCHARTRAIN? HO W C A N I HELP ACHIEVE THISVISION?
DOES M Y CULTURAL HERITAGE INTERMINGLE WITH
THE HISTORY OF THE LAKE P ONTCHARTRAIN BASIN?
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MOMENTS IN TIME:Exploring the History of the Lake Pontchartrain Basin
OBJECTIVES:
• Research, dramatize, and mime selected events in the history of the Lake Pontchartrain Basin.
• Collect primary and secondary information and artifacts describing life throughout the history of the Lake Pontchartrain Basin. Create a “History Box.”
• Make concept maps depicting the many cultural groups which currently live in the Lake Pontchartrain Basin.
• Conduct research on commerce and transport throughout the history of the Lake Pontchartrain Basin.
• Illustrate events in the history of the Lake Pontchartrain Basin using pictures to create a time line.
• Survey the public to discover what residents of the Lake Pontchartrain Basin know about the region’s history.
• Write about daily life in the l9th Century in the Lake Pontchartrain Basin. Look to the future of the Lake Pontchartrain Basin and reflect on your own role in its welfare.
MULTIPLE INTELLIGENCES LEARNING ACTIVITIES:
Verbal/Linguistic: Gather oral history experiences from family members and friends about Lake Pontchartrain and its rivers.
Prepare a documentary-style oral history presentation based on a scavenger hunt and group research.
Write “A Day in the Life” of a famous character from the history of the Lake Pontchartrain Basin.
Write a diary entry about an imagined trip to the Lake in 1850.
Interpersonal: Work in cooperative groups to investigate the history of the Lake Pontchartrain Basin using primary and secondary sources of information.
Interview family and friends about their lifetime experiences living in the Lake Pontchartrain Basin.
Develop a questionnaire and use it to interview the public about their knowledge of Lake Pontchartrain Basin history.
Logical/Mathematical: Conduct research about the commerce of the Lake Pontchartrain Basin through history: its imports, exports, and importance inworld trade. 249LPBF/UNO
Logical/Mathematical: Research the history of transportation in the Lake Pontchartrain (CONTINUED) Basin.
Research facts about major storms that have hit the Lake Pontchartrain Basin throughout history.
Bodily/Kinesthetic: Perform a play about the explorers who discovered the Lake Pontchartrain Basin.
Dramatize events from the time line of the Lake Pontchartrain Basin.
Mime events from the history of the Lake Pontchartrain Basin.
Visual/Spatial: Design a display of artifacts in the form of a History Box showing illustrations of events associated with the Lake Pontchartrain Basin.
Design a backdrop for an oral presentation.
Illustrate historical events on a map of the Lake Pontchartrain Basin.
Make a pictorial time line of events in the Lake Pontchartrain Basin using old photographs and your own illustrations.
Intrapersonal: Using pictures/drawings/photographs, show how Lake Pontchartrain or its rivers influence your own life.
Write your imagined feelings as a member of an exploration party in the Lake Pontchartrain Basin in 1699.
Reflect on the influence of people and their actions on the Lake Pontchartrain Basin and write your vision for the Basin.
Musical: Compose songs about the romance of Lake Pontchartrain or its rivers.
Compose a ballad about an important character in the history of the Lake Pontchartrain Basin.
Naturalist: Document changes in nature; conduct self-assessment of knowledgeabout coastal erosion.
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Photo from“Louisiana Images1880-1920”Lake Pontchartrain,North Shore,ca.1895
THE HISTORICAL HIGHLIGHTS OF THE LAKE PONTCHARTRAIN BASIN
BEFORE 1700
It is 1650: Many Native American tribes live in the area we now know as the LakePontchartrain Basin. They include such tribes as the Bayougoula, Mougoulacha,Chitimacha, Oumas, Tangipahoa, Colapissa, and Quinipissa. Although rumors from thenorth tell of people from Europe exploring the land, nobody here feels threatened.
As they have for thousands of years, the people of this beautiful estuary live on fish andseafood from the lakes, rivers, and bayous. (Today evidence of their villages exist in theform of piles of discarded clam shells or “mid-dens”.)
Okwa-ta, which means “Wide Water,” is thename the Choctaws use for the lake we now callPontchartrain.
Tangipahoa, the Parish and the River arenamed for the Tangipahoa people; their namemeans “corn gatherers” in Choctaw.
The name “Tchefuncte,” a Choctaw name for alocal plant, refers to a period of Native Americanculture as well as to the Tchefuncte River whichenters Lake Pontchartrain at Madisonville.
FRENCH COLONIAL PERIOD 1682-1763
1682: Explorers from France arrive to explore the Lower Mississippi River Valley.
1699: Iberville discovers and names Lakes Pontchartrain and Maurepas for the French.
1718: Bienville founds the City of New Orleans at present site because of easy access to theMississippi River through Lake Pontchartrain and Bayou St. John.
1720: Germans migrated to the Basin, settling in St. Charles and St. John the BaptistParishes in an area that came to be known as the German Coast.
1718-1763: New Orleans grows as the French struggle with the unfamiliar climate, flood-ing, and mosquito-borne diseases. The rest of the Lake Pontchartrain Basin has littleEuropean presence, other than a few farms and plantations near north shore bayous.
Enslaved Africans arrive. They were forcibly added to the mix of cultures in the LakePontchartrian Basin.
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SPANISH AND BRITISH COLONIAL PERIOD 1763-1810
1763: After a short revolution, the Spanish government takes over the rule of most ofLouisiana. This rule lasts for the rest of the 18th Century.
The British control the Florida Parishes (St. Tammany, Tangipahoa, Livingston,Washington, St. Helena, East and West Feliciana) on the north shore of LakePontchartrain. Pass Manchac marks the border between Spanish and British territory.
People from other parts of the world begin to arrive and settle in the Lake PontchartrainBasin. Some immigrated willingly; some were forcibly brought here. All groups contributedto the culture. For example, the “shotgun” house design which originated in Africa wasimported from the West Indies. Gumbo and other dishes were developed as a result of amixing of cultural cuisine. The word “gumbo” is derived from an African word for “okra,” astaple ingredient of gumbo. Filé (sassafras leaves) came from Native Americans who addedthis herb to thicken their dishes, and the “roux” was contributed by the French.
ANTEBELLUM PERIOD 1810-1861
1787: Destrehan Plantation was built by a free person of color and served as a freedmen’sbureau after the Civil War.
1811: Enslaved Africans in St. Charles Parish revolted in what was possibly the largestrevolt of enslaved people in American history.
1812: Louisiana becomes part of the United States after the Louisiana Purchase.
1815: In the Battle of New Orleans, Native Americans, free people of color, and EuropeanAmericans fought together against the British, causing them to retreat.
Several important ports flourish on Lake Pontchartrain’s shores. Sailboats carry cargo andpeople between the Gulf of Mexico and the Lake Pontchartrain Basin ports.
Commerce grows on the south and north shores of Lake Pontchartrain. Exported productsinclude: lumber, charcoal, bricks, shells, cotton, and oysters. Imported products include:raw materials and food unavailable locally.
Madisonville on the north shore is an important boatbuilding center.
1815: Travel by steamboat begins in the LakePontchartrain Basin, replacing many of thesailboats.
The antebellum period is a time of wealth forsome in the Lake Pontchartrain Basin. Largeplantations spring up on the north andsouth shores, in the city ofNew Orleans, and along theMississippi River.
The wealthy spend theirleisure time on the lake
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shore at several exclusive resorts, eating at thefamous restaurants, gambling and enjoying thelake breezes. The first resort to open is atSpanish Fort at the mouth of Bayou St.John.
1831: The Pontchartrain Railroad con-necting the city of New Orleans withthe lake shore is completed. Because ofthe railroad, a large resort area developson the lake shore at Milneburg. Thisresort boasts the beautiful WashingtonHotel, a park, and a bath build-ing. The Washington Hotelbecomes a popular stoppingpoint for travelers while thewell-to-do of New Orleansspend pleasant weekendsthere.
1832: Norbert Rillieux, a free person of color, invented the vacuum pump for more efficientsugar processing.
1831-1838: The New Basin Canal is built using Irish immigrant labor, claiming the livesof many men who work on its construction. The canal serves as a transport route betweendowntown New Orleans and Lake Pontchartrain. Pleasure seekers take a mule-drawnbarge, complete with musical entertainment, along the New Basin Canal to the resort atNew Lake End (now known as West End).
1834: The Marigny Plantation in New Orleans gives way to the neighborhood of FaubourgMarigny so Bernard de Marigny moves across the Lake to Fontainbleau, the familyplantation on the north shore. He establishes the fashionable resort town of Mandeville.The Mandeville Hotel offers gambling, billiards, a bath house, and stables. People fromNew Orleans begin crossing the Lake by steamer, seeking relief from the hot New Orleanssummers.
THE CIVIL WAR 1861-1900 AND AFTERWARDS
Louisiana contributed more African American troops to the Civil War than any other state.
Many Louisiana forts were manned by African American troops.
During the Civil War, New Orleans is occupied by Union troops.
The Civil War resulted in the abolition of slavery and passage of the 13th Amendment tothe U.S. Consitution, thus ending a century of slavery.
During Reconstruction, a tumultuous time, Louisiana had its first and only AfricanAmerican Governor, P.B.S. Pinchback. His governorship lasted only a month.
Beginning around 1850, after many years of steamboat travel in the Lake253LPBF/UNO
Pontchartrain Basin, railroads are built. Many peo-ple now find it quicker and cheaper to travel bytrain. Several towns, including Slidell, are built onthe new railroads.
Now it is not only the wealthy who get to enjoy the lake shore resorts. Families spend theirholidays by taking “Smoky Mary,” the train to Milneberg where they fish and swim. Theycan also rent small lake shore camps for the weekend.
1849: Southern Yacht Club opens at West End.
At the end of the 19th Century and the beginning of the 20th Century, cypress loggingtakes place. (Today the scars of the logging industry which neglected to replant the cypresstrees can be seen in areas such as the marsh near Turtle Cove on Pass Manchac.)
Leonard Julien, an African American, invented the cane planting machine in the late 19thCentury.
At the end of the 19th Century, New Orleans was still an unhealthy place to live becauseof its poor drainage. Diseases such a yellow fever, malaria, tuberculosis, and intestinalinfections, killed thousands of people in the Lake Pontchartrain Basin. It wasn’t until the1890’s that taxes were raised to build a proper drainage system.
20TH CENTURY
1915: A huge hurricane hits New Orleans. Recent improvements in communication reducesthe loss of life.
Buddy Bolden, considered the “Father of Jazz,” was born in NewOrleans in 1877 and died in 1931. The peak of his career was from1890 to 1920. He played music at Milneburg and other lake shoreresorts. Louis Armstrong, who popularized jazz on an internationallevel, was born in New Orleans in 1900 and died in 1971. He beganhis career around 1915 as a teenager. “West End Blues” was one ofArmstrong’s songs which featured the local scene.
1924: The Inner Harbor Navigation Canal, or the Industrial Canal is opened, linking theMississippi River with the Lake and aiding shipping commerce.
1927: The Mississippi River floods, causing great destruction, but much of the LakePontchartrain Basin is spared the worst.
1928: Pontchartrain Beach opens where Lake Vista is today.
1931: The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers builds the Bonnet Carré Spillway, a safety valvewhich can be opened when the Mississippi River floods, thus protecting New Orleans fromhigh water. The water can be diverted from the River to Lake Pontchartrain.
1937: The Bonnet Carré Spillway is opened for the first time.
In the early 1930s, Governor Huey P. Long improves the state’s highways and bridges,building the first bridge across the Mississippi River at the city of New Orleans.
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In the 1930s and ‘40s, oil and gas exploration takes place in the Lake Pontchartrain Basin.Oil and gas related industries grow in the Lake Pontchartrain Basin. Due to environmen-tal problems related to this industry, however, such as wetland loss from canal dredgingand pollution from oil spills, there have been no new oil and gas drilling leases allowed inLake Pontchartrain since 1992.
Throughout the 20th Century the population of the Lake Pontchartrain Basin grows. Onthe south shore, Greater New Orleans spreads out to include Metairie and Kenner. Thisgrowth brings problems of drainage, sewerage disposal, and storm protection.
1939: Pontchartrain Beach is moved to Milneburg.
During World War II, the land near Lake Pontchartrain, where the University of NewOrleans stands today, was used by Higgins Boats to build wartime vessels.
Early 1950s: The hurricane protection levees are built along the south shore of LakePontchartrain, protecting the whole of metropolitan Orleans and Jefferson Parishes fromLake storm surges.
1956: Lake Pontchartrain Causeway is completed. Now New Orleans and Mandeville arelinked by road for the first time.
1956-1964: Lincoln Beach Amusement Park was opened in 1956 and was a popular attrac-tion for African Americans in New Orleans. It closed in 1964 and remains abandoned today.
1963: The Mississippi River Gulf Outlet (MRGO) is opened to provide a short cut for shipping from the Gulf of Mexico to New Orleans. It allows salt water from the Gulf toenter the St. Bernard marshes and Lake Pontchartrain, causing the loss of fresh-water marshes and severe erosion of the St. Bernard wetlands.
1965: Hurricane Betsy hits the Lake Pontchartrain Basin, causingflooding and other destruction in New Orleans and St. BernardParishes.
1960s: I-10 is built from New Orleans to Baton Rouge, traversing the south shore of Lake Pontchartrain.
The growing population and all the related development causesobvious degradation of the health of Lake Pontchartrain.
1960s: Many Cuban people emigrated to the Lake PontchartrainBasin because of political changes in their country.
1970s: Large numbers of Central American people emigrated tothe Lake Pontchartrain Basin primarily because of politicalunrest in several Central American countries. Many Asian people also arrived, includingmany Vietnamese fleeing their war-torn country.
1972: Pontchartrain Beach swimming area closes due to unacceptable levels of pollutionwhich threaten the health of bathers.
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1974-1982: Ernest “Dutch” Morial was elected the first African American mayor of NewOrleans.
1979: “No swimming” advisories are posted along the Lake’s south shore in Orleans andJefferson Parishes by the Department of Health and Hospitals.
1983: Pontchartrain Beach Amusement Park closes for good, due mostly to lowered atten-dance. (Today some remnants of the famous Zephyr ride and other memorabilia are on dis-play outside City Hall on Williams Boulevard in Kenner).
1987: Tangipahoa River is declared unsafe for swimming and tubing due to high levels offecal coliform bacteria.
1989: The Lake Pontchartrain Basin Foundation (LPBF) is established to restore thehealth of the lake and its rivers and to protect the natural habitat of the Basin. LPBFaddresses environmental quality issues throughout the Lake Pontchartrain Basin and educates the public about their role in solving the problems. “Save Our Lake” becomes apopular slogan.
1990: Shell dredging is halted in Lake Pontchartrain. The dredging, which had been ongo-ing for over 60 years, wreaked havoc on the Lake’s ecosystem.
The 1990s: In spite of great improvements, it is not yet safe to swim on the south shore ofOrleans and Jefferson Parishes due to the urban runoff from the city streets. LPBF andresearchers from the University of New Orleans monitor the Lake water for fecal coliform bacteria, one of the main indicators of pollution. People still fish and boat throughout the Lake Pontchartrain Basin, but fishers reporta decline in the quantity and quality of theircatch.
21st Century: You will participate in theLake Pontchartrain Basin’s future. You canmake a difference in many ways.Wherever you live in the LakePontchartrain Basin, you can help to makesure the Lake is a place for wildlife to liveand people to go fishing, crabbing,shrimping, boating and swimming.
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SAVE OUR LAKELAKE PONTCHARTRAIN BASIN FOUNDATION
SAVE OUR LAKE
LAKE PONTCHARTRAIN BASIN FOUNDATIONSAVE OUR LAKELAKE PONTCHARTRAIN BASIN FOUNDATION
Yes!
Yes!
Yes!
Yes! Yes!
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EXPLORING THE LAKE PONTCHARTRAIN BASIN
Research the Facts Conduct research about the goods that were produced in the Lake Pontchartrain Basin dur-ing the 17th, 18th and 19th Centuries. Choose two important products. Find figures thatshow how much was produced or exported. Draw a graph to show the amounts of both prod-ucts for at least two different time periods. Write a paragraph to tell what your graph shows,explaining any changes over time.
Visit museums and libraries to collect information about the modes of transport throughoutthe history of the Lake Pontchartrain Basin. Make a pictorial presentation of these methodsof transportation, showing the changes over time. Pay attention to the influence of the Lakeon transportation.
Find information about major hurricanes that have hit the Lake Pontchartrain Basin. Makea list of the most destructive storms. Compare the damage done by two storms at differenttimes (e.g, compare the damage of the hurricane of 1915 with that of Betsy in 1965).Document the number of lives lost and the amount of property damage.
Illustrate the History of the Lake with Maps and Pictures On the map of the Lake Pontchartrain Basin, indicate important historical markers withdates and labels.
Find photographs from books or draw your own pictures to depict significant scenes fromeach of these centuries: 16th, 17th, 18th, 19th, 20th, and 21st. Using the pictures you collect,make a time line of the history of the Lake Pontchartrain Basin.
Write and Read About Lake Pontchartrain Basin History Choose a character from the history of the Lake Pontchartrain Basin. Read about the dailylife of the character. Write a short essay entitled “A Day in the Life of (your character).” Tryto bring in daily activities such as those in your life, highlighting how they would be differ-ent because of the earlier time in history.
Write a diary entry about a trip to the Lake with your family in 1850. Choose Milneburg orNew Lake End as your destination. You can travel by barge on the New Basin Canal or onSmoky Mary, the train to Milneburg.
Imagine that it is 1835 and you are a guest at Bernard de Marigny’s fashionable new resortin Mandeville. Write a diary entry about your journey to the resort, your activities there, andthe people you meet.
Lake Reflections Reflect on the past, present and future of the Lake Pontchartrain Basin. Write your vision forLake Pontchartrain in 2010. What will it take on your part to achieve your vision?
Make a scrapbook or collage to show how Lake Pontchartrain and/or its rivers influence your life.
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see folksongnext page
Find Out What Others Know and Feel about the Basin’s HistoryThe whole class can participate in making a short questionnaire to find out how much peo-ple know about the cultural history of the Lake Pontchartrain Basin. Each student shouldcontribute two or three questions; then the class votes for the best ones. Ask for permissionto have people complete the questionnaire at any of the following places: the annual LakePontchartrain Basin Foundation “Back to the Beach” Celebration, your local public library,your school, your local mall. Analyze the results and publish them in the school studentnewspaper.
Mime the History of the Lake Pontchartrain BasinMake up actions that represent each key event in the cultural history of the LakePontchartrain Basin. Mime the events in their historical sequential order.
Play “Pontchartrain Charades.” Players take turns miming scenes from the history of theLake Pontchartrain Basin.
Music Activities Write a ballad about an important character in the history of the Lake PontchartrainBasin. Write a romantic song about Lake Pontchartrain or its rivers. Play and sing the folk-song The Lakes of Ponchetrain (next page).
Write a script for an interview (both questions and answers) about a famous jazz musicianfrom New Orleans.
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Source: In Flanders et al. (1934) The New Green Mountain Songster.
The Lakes of Ponchetrain
chords: (GDCGEmCG ~ EmDG-C-//lst)
It was one fine March morning I bid New Orleans adieu
And took the road to Jackson Town my fortune to renew
I cursed all foreign money, no credit could I gain
Which filled my heart with longing for the Lakes of Ponchetrain
I stepped on board a RR car beneath the morning sun
And I rode the rails til evening & I laid me down again
All strangers they’re no friends to me til a dark girl towards me came
And I fell in love with a Creole girl on The Lakes of Ponchetrain
I said, “Me pretty Creole girl, my money here’s no good
If it weren’t for the alligators I’d sleep out in the wood.”
“You’re welcome here kind stranger, our house is very plain
But we never turn a stranger out on The Lakes of Ponchetrain
She took me into her mama’s house & treated me right well
The hair upon her shoulders in jet black ringlets fell
To try to paint her beauty I’m sure t’would be in vain
So handsome was my Creole girl on The Lakes of Ponchetrain
I asked her would she marry me, she said that ne’er would be
For she had got a lover & he was far at sea
She said that she would wait for him & true she would remain
Til he returned to his Creole girl on The Lakes of Ponchetrain
So fair you well my bonnie old girl, I ne’er may see you no more
I’ll ne’er forget your kindness in the cottage by the shore
And at every social gathering, a golden glass I’ll drain
And I’ll drink all health to the Creole girl on The Lakes of Ponchetrain
DRAMATIZATION OF THE DISCOVERY OF THE LAKE PONTCHARTRAIN BASIN
The students imagine how it feels to be a late 16th-century explorer on avoyage of discovery in the New World—an expedition during which theFrench name Lake Pontchartrain.
Materials:Paper, pens, pencils, drawing materials
Handout: Discovering the Lake Pontchartrain Basin (Page 261)
Process:Assign students to cooperative groups.
Give each group a copy of the handout Discovering the Lake Pontchartrain Basin.
Explain to the students that they are to write and act out a short skit depicting thescene described in the handout.
The students may make costumes and props, select background music, and createenvironmental sounds to go with their skits.
The students may act out their skits for the class or the whole school.
Extensions:1) Write and illustrate a letter to a friend or relative at home in France telling about the
journey, explaining how it felt to be part of this expedition.
2) Write and illustrate a personal journal entry about the trip, with thoughts and feel-ings experienced during the journey.
3) Examine a present-day map or old maps of the Lake Pontchartrain Basin and theMississippi River. Trace the route of the journey from the River along Bayou Manchacand the Amite River into Lake Maurepas, through Pass Manchac, and into LakePontchartrain. Locate the Rigolet Pass to see how the party exited LakePontchartrain. Draw your own interpretation of the journey’s route.
References:A map by D’Anville is printed in a number of local history books and available for copyingat the Louisiana Collection at Tulane University Howard Tilton Library as well as at otherarea libraries. It shows Bayou Manchac as Riviere d’Iberville as well as by the Indian nameof Akankia.
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HANDOUT: Discovering the Lake Pontchartrain Basin
It is the spring of 1699. You are a member of an expedition led by Pierre LeMoyne Sieurd’Iberville, a famous French-Canadian explorer working for the King of France to establish aFrench colony in the wild, wet, and swampy country we now call Louisiana. Several NativeAmerican tribes live in this area. They help the explorers to find their waythrough the unmapped wilderness.
Your expedition party has found the Mississippi River or“Father of Waters” after a difficult and wet search. You havesailed up the River and have met with leaders from theBayougoula, Mougoulacha, Ouma, and Quinipissa tribes whoprove to Monsieur d’Iberville that the River is the one previ-ously discovered by LaSalle several years earlier. The evi-dence is a Canadian coat and a letter to LaSalle from Tonty,another explorer.
Now Monsieur d’Iberville is ready to make a discovery ofhis own. He agrees to go along with a Native American guideto explore a short cut back to the “Great Water” (which we nowcall the Gulf of Mexico). Monsieur d’Iberville chooses you to go onthis treacherous expedition, with two other men, himself and theNative American guide. The others sail back down the “Father ofWaters”.
Your journey is difficult and exhausting. It takes you along a narrow “bayouque” as theIndians call these slow moving streams. Your guide calls it “Akankia.” The neighboringChoctaws call it “Manchac,” meaning “back entrance.” “Back entrance to where?” you wonder,as you struggle to make progress. At least fifty times you have to get out of your canoe andcarry it over obstacles. After a while the guide leaves because the going is too tough, butMonsieur d’Iberville has no intention of giving up.
At last! Progress becomes easier as the waterway gets wider. Suddenly, you find yourselvesin a lake. You paddle across this lake and find a wide, straight waterway which you follow. Itleads to another, even bigger lake. Imagine the beauty of the wide expanse of water after fight-ing your way through the swamps!
On your journey you have seen many flocks of wild turkey, as well as many unfamiliaranimals such as alligators. You have been plagued by swarms of mosquitoes that made youwish you had never left France. But now the expedition party is in good spirits. Monsieurd’Iberville names the two lakes you have discovered. The larger one he names “Pontchartrain”for the French Minister of Marine. The smaller one he names “Maurepas” for the Count ofMaurepas, Pontchartrain’s son. Both these important men belong to a prominent French fami-ly who helped to make your voyage possible. He names the narrow river that brought you fromthe Father of Waters to the lake Monsieur d’Iberville for himself: Iberville’s River (today it iscalled Bayou Manchac).
Monsieur d’Iberville orders you to build a bonfire on the bank of Lake Pontchartrain toattract the attention of your fellow explorers, including his brother Monsieur Bienville. Theplan works! You are able to rendezvous with the ships as you exit out of Lake Pontchartrainthrough the Rigolet Pass into Lake Borgne, and then to the Mississippi Sound in the Gulf ofMexico. Finally, you return to Fort Biloxi, excited about being the member of Monsieurd’Iberville’s expedition that discovered the Lake Pontchartrain Basin. 261LPBF/UNO
DRAMATIC TIME LINEObjective:
The students work in cooperative groups to dramatize the historical time line ofthe Lake Pontchartrain Basin.
Materials: Paper, pens, pencils, and materials for props - to be brought in by students or found at school
Materials for making backdrops, etc.
Costumes - to be brought from home by the students or made from odds and ends
Handout: Planning the Scene (Page 264)
Handout: The Script (Page 265)
Getting Ready:Read and duplicate “Historical Highlights of the Lake Pontchartrain Basin” (Pages 251-256).
Gather books and other resources from the library for the students to use as resources.
Arrange a field trip to the Louisiana State Museum in New Orleans or to a museum inyour community.
Arrange with the principal a time that is good for the class to perform the skits for theschool or specific classes. Another idea is to perform the skits for your community’sretirement home. The senior citizens may also be able to furnish some good storiesabout their memories of the Lake.
Be on the lookout ahead of time for likely props and costume materials.
Process:Read “Historical Highlights of the Lake Pontchartrain Basin” with the class.
Divide the class into cooperative groups.
Help the students assign roles in their groups. They will need script writers, directors,prop finders and makers, and set designers.
Assign each group a time period in history. There are seven main time periods delin-eated in the text.
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Allow for research time, including use of the resources you brought in as well as home-work time in which the students do their own information search.
Take a field trip to the Louisiana Sate Museum or another museum for a fact-findingmission.
Allow the groups time to organize the information gathered during the fact-findingtime.
Pass out Handout: Planning the Scene (next page). Allow the students time to beginplanning their scene. At the end of the class period bring the groups together to discusstheir plans. Talk about how to put the individual scenes together to make a whole timeline.
Pass out Handout: The Script (Page 265). Allow the groups time for script-writing.Collect the scripts so you can read through them and give feedback in time for the nextclass.
Ask the students to bring their props and costumes to class.
Allow class time for the students to learn their lines, rehearse their skits, and finishthe props and sets. Encourage simplicity in set and prop design.
Conduct a dress rehearsal. Allow time for final preparations.
Perform the skits.
Conduct a “debriefing” session in class to allow the students to discuss their perfor-mances dramatizing the time line.
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HANDOUT:PLANNING THE SCENE
Work in your cooperative group to complete this sheet
1. Group #:
2. Historic time period (include dates):
3. Number of characters:
4. Names of characters:
5. Props:
6. Costumes:
7. Other materials:
8. Description of the scene: (one paragraph)
HANDOUT: THE SCRIPT
Write the script for your group’s scene below, including a description of thesetting and each character’s name with their lines. You may also includeother phrases to describe actions, etc., of the actors. This handout may beduplicated, as needed, to accommodate a longer script.
THE SETTING:
CHARACTER # 1____________________________________________________
CHARACTER #2____________________________________________________
CHARACTER #3____________________________________________________
CHARACTER #4____________________________________________________
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THE CULTURES OF THE LAKE PONTCHARTRAIN BASIN
Objective:The students will conduct research about a chosen or assigned cultural group ofthe Lake Pontchartrain Basin. In cooperative groups the students will gatherand organize the information about several cultures, create a concept map, andshare the information with the whole class.
Materials:
Reference books with information about the cultures of the Lake Pontchartrain Basin
Butcher paper or easel pads
Thick markers
Handout: Gathering and Organizing Facts About the Cultures ofthe Lake Pontchartrain Basin (Pages 268-270)
Getting Ready:Conduct a search for information about the cultural groups in the Lake PontchartrainBasin. Refer to the resource section at the end of this chapter; try the Internet as aresearch tool; contact resource people in the community.
Arrange a field trip to the local library or other resource in your community such as amuseum where students can gather facts about cultural history.
Process:Assign cooperative groups. The roles of “information scouts,” “note-takers,” “informationorganizers,” and “facilitators” will be needed.
Provide each group with research materials. Brainstorm with the group additionalavenues of information.
Give each student a copy of Handout: Gathering and Organizing Facts About theCultures of the Lake Pontchartrain Basin.
Help the groups divide the topics among the members.
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If you choose to take a field trip to the library or museum, assist the students in selecting relevant information.
If the students have never made a concept map before, show them some examples and create a practice concept map with the whole class. (An example is provided on thehandout.)
After the information gathering is complete, the students work together in their groupsto put the main ideas into a concept map. The facilitators in each group are responsiblefor writing single words and phrases to convey information about the cultural history oftheir group on the easel paper.
Help the groups follow the directions on the handout to complete their concept map.
Each group explains its finished concept map to the rest of the class, sharing informa-tion about all the cultures studied. Encourage the students to add creativity to theirpresentation with slide shows, dances, food, traditional dress, etc., to illustrate the culture they studied.
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HANDOUT FOLLOWS
HANDOUT:Gathering and Organizing Facts About
the Cultures of the Lake Pontchartrain Basin
1. Research your own cultural heritage or choose a culture:
2. Distribute the following questions to the cooperative groups. Work with a part-ner to research your questions for the culture you are studying. Write notes inresponse to each question you answer.
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■ Native American
■ European
■ African
■ Asian
■ South and Central American
■ Pacific
■ Caribbean
■ Canadian
What were major differences between thehomeland and the Lake PontchartrainBasin?
What are some of the culture’s ethnicrecipes?
Describe or draw the traditional dress ofthe settlers of your culture.
What are the traditional holidays or festi-vals of your culture?
What did the people of your culture tradi-tionally do to make a living?
What are some of the tools or other arti-facts that may be associated with yourculture?
List six characteristic given names formales and females within the culture.
List place names (e.g. towns and rivers)named by your culture.
What was the main hardship faced byyour culture when they arrived in theLake Pontchartrain Basin?
How did the people solve their problems?
What was the main reason your culturalgroup came to the Lake PontchartrainBasin?
Name the main areas of the LakePontchartrain Basin in which the culturesettled.
What is the original language of the cul-ture? Learn some words or phrases fromthis language. Is the language spokentoday by the residents of the LakePontchartrain Basin?
Find and write out a traditional song ofthe culture.
Learn a traditional dance of the cultureand perform it when your group presentsits concept map.
How did the people use the naturalresources available in the LakePontchartrain Basin?
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3. Make a concept map of your culture. Look at the concept map of the Islenos (Islanders) of St. Bernard Parish (next page). You may use this as a model, or you may adapt or mod-ify it.
4. In your group, share the new information you have found. On an easel pad or piece of paper taped on the wall, write down all the single words or short sentences that repre-sent the facts found for each research area. Do not leave anything out.
5. Organize these words and sentences under appropriate headings or categories. Now you can edit the ideas, leaving out the ones that do not fit.
6. Begin with a fresh piece of paper to make a finished concept map of your culture.
7. Present your concept map to the class. Spice up the presentation with a dance, song or a traditional dish from your culture. If possible, dress in the traditional clothing of your culture from the early settlers’ days.
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ISLENOS(Islanders)
of St. Bernard Parish
came from CANARY ISLANDS7 Inhabited Islandsoff the north east
coast of AfricaCLIMATE:Subtropical
WHY THEY EMIGRATED:
Spanish Government began recruiting CanaryIslanders in 1778 todefend Louisiana from theBritish. Whole familieswere transported toLouisiana. TRADITIONAL
DISHES:“gofio,” a gruel of millet or corn and“caldo,” a soup
LANGUAGE:Islenos spoke a dialect ofSpanish, preserved due toisolation. Now only olderpeople speak the language.
LOUISIANA OCCUPATIONS:Islenos began as farmersbut later moved into themarsh to make a livingfishing, hunting, and trap-ping as well as boat build-ing.
FAMILIESWERE PROVIDED:Land, a smallhouse, a pig, foodrations, and toolsfor farming
THE ISLENOS TODAY:Face loss of the Islenos language,fisheries depletion, poorfur markets, and loss ofthe St. Bernard marshes.
IMMIGRANTS’ HOUSES WERE:Small with palmetto roofs
SOME ISLENO VILLAGES:St. Bernard, Delacroix,Shell Beach, Reggio
SOME ISLENO NAMES:
Perez, Nunez, Campo,Martinez
OCCUPATIONS:Many were fishers.
Farmers grew fruits,sugar, and tobacco
TRADITIONAL ENTERTAINMENT:Decimas, ballads, dances
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THE GREAT PONTCHARTRAIN PURSUIT Capturing History in a Box
This activity is divided into five sections:
I. Learning about cultures in the Lake Pontchartrain BasinII. Collecting and cataloging artifacts
III. Preparing a documentary-style report IV. Designing a History BoxV. Making a presentation, in documentary form,
using collected information and artifacts
GOAL The purpose of this activity is to instill an awareness in students of the
important role the Lake Pontchartrain Basin has played in the history of ourculture.
Vocabulary
artifactsomething produced by human work
oral historyhistorical data consisting of personal recollections
primary sourcea source of information written directly by the person whose experience is recorded (e.g., journals and diaries)
secondary sourcea source of information that is indirect, information written after the fact about historical events (e.g., history books)
anthropologista person who studies the customs and cultures of the human race
archaeologista person who studies the human cultures of the past
documentarya film or report in which evidence and information are used to tell a true story about a topic
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SECTlON I:
LEARNING ABOUT CULTURESAROUND THE LAKE PONTCHARTRAIN BASIN
Objectives:
Share oral history anecdotes about the Lake.
Use artifacts and other forms of evidence to illustrate the cultural history of theLake Pontchartrain Basin.
Distinguish between primary and secondary sources of information.
Materials:Artifacts associated with the Lake Pontchartrain Basin culture, suchas a crab trap.
Getting Ready:Contact local public and university libraries to determine the availability of materialson the history and culture of the Lake Pontchartrain Basin.
Contact local organizations such as the Lake Pontchartrain Basin Foundation to obtainmaterials, arrange field trips and/or locate a guest speaker for your class.
Process:Tell students the purpose of the activity. Explain that they are to first gather storiesabout the Lake Pontchartrain Basin from older people in their families and communi-ties. Tell them to come to class on a designated date ready to share stories they havebeen told. They may choose to record the stories on audio- or videotape.
Ask students to share their anecdotes.
Define oral history and point out that their stories are a form of oral history. Discussthe values of oral history.
Discuss the difference between primary and secondary sources of information. Makelists of examples on the board under the two headings, “primary sources” and “sec-ondary sources.”
Introduce the term “artifact” by passing around the artifact you have chosen to useto illustrate the point. Ask the students to pretend they are anthropologists or archae-ologists. What clue would the artifact provide about the people who made and used it?(“What is it used for?” “Does it tell us anything about their diet?”)
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SECTION I I:
COLLECTING AND CATALOGING EVIDENCE AND ARTIFACTS
Objectives:Participate in a scavenger hunt to find and collect artifacts and information (pri-mary and secondary sources) about the history and culture of the LakePontchartrain Basin.
Catalog and organize the artifacts and information in a meaningful way.
Materials: Handout:The Great Pontchartrain Pursuit Scavenger Hunt (next page)
Handout:Group Assignments (Page 275)
Handout: Artifact and Information Record Sheet (Pages 276 and 277) books on local history
Getting Ready:Divide the class into cooperative learning teams, assigning each group a number. Assignroles of writers/editors, investigators, interviewers, and graphic designers.
Arrange a trip to a local library for research time in the Louisiana Room. Many of thebooks will be reference only. Prepare the students in advance for note-taking and mak-ing copies.
Process:Explain to the students that they are about to begin a scavenger hunt for artifacts andinformation about the history of the culture in the Lake Pontchartrain Basin. Explainthat their final goal is to prepare a documentary which will be presented along with theartifacts and other evidence and information to the class in the form of an oral presen-tation.
In their groups, the students make a plan for completing the assignments on the hand-out: The Great Pontchartrain Pursuit Scavenger Hunt. Each student may participate intwo or more of the job groups. They use the handout: Group Assignments to divide upthe tasks.
During homework time and on organized trips to the school or public library, the stu-dents begin to amass information and find artifacts.
During class time, the students work in their cooperative groups to catalog the artifacts,using the handout: Artifact Information Record Sheet. They need to organize the infor-mation in a meaningful, logical way; they must support their decisions. 273LPBF/UNO
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HANDOUT: The Great Pontchartrain Pursuit Scavenger Hunt
Find three written primary sources (e.g, journals, diaries, autobiographies) andthree secondary sources (accounts written later about historical events) aboutlife in the Lake Pontchartrain Basin in the 1600s, 1700s, 1800s or 1900s.Include stories or vignettes from each source, depicting an event that you findinteresting.
Interview three people who depend on the Lake for a living, e.g., a fisher whodepends directly on the Lake; a bait shop owner who provides a service to thoseusing the Lake; a person working at a seafood restaurant whose businessdepends on a supply of seafood from the Lake. Tape the interview and transcribethe segment you find most interesting.
Find or make replicas of two artifacts used by people living in the LakePontchartrain Basin for three of the following centuries: 1600s, 1700s ,1800s, or1900s.
Find five to ten photographs depicting life around the Lake PontchartrainBasin. Include photographs from as many different time periods as possible,including recent days. Include various aspects of life: leisure, recreation, business, home life, etc. Look in pictorial history books of the regions within theLake Pontchartrain Basin. Check out the local historical societies. Ask neighbors and family members.
People from many different cultures have made the Lake Pontchartrain Basintheir home over the years. Construct a map depicting the location of two groups of people. Use the library to find sources of information on the culture. Ifpossible, interview members of the cultures.
Collect three to five recipes which use ingredients obtained from LakePontchartrain. Try to find a wide assortment of foods. Include contemporaryrecipes as well as those from other time periods.
Collect photographs showing the changes of fashion through the ages, includingswim wear, formal wear, work clothes, Mardi Gras costumes, etc.
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HANDOUT:Group Assignments
Designer/Graphic Artists: Designers and graphic artists will create the designs on the outside of the History Box,once the artifacts are collected. They will also construct the map depicting the culturesthat live around Lake Pontchartrain.
Investigators: Investigators will conduct research on the various topics. They will locate informationin the libraries and from other outside sources.
Interviewers: Interviewers will locate members of the community to interview. They will write thequestions, interview the subjects, and transcribe portions of the tapes.
Writers/Editors: Writers and editors will write, edit, revise, type, and proof the text for the History BoxDocumentary presentation.
Designers/Graphic Artists Investigators
Interviewers Writers/Editors
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HANDOUT: ARTIFACT/INFORMATION RECORD SHEET
GROUP#:
GROUP MEMBERS: _________________________________
_____________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________
Directions:
ARTIFACT/INFORMATION (circle one)
If the item is an artifact, circle the word “artifact.” If the item is a piece of writteninformation, circle the word “information.”
NUMBER:
Catalog each item by assigning your group number first, then the number of the item.For example, a fishing net would be considered an artifact. If it were the first artifactcollected, Group 1 would catalog it as 001-001A. Artifacts will end with an “A.”Information items will end with an “I”. (Be sure to place a tag on each item with theappropriate number as well.)
DESCRIPTION:
Briefly describe each artifact and printed material.
SOURCE: PRIMARY/SECONDARY
Indicate whether your source of information was written directly by the person whoexperienced, recorded, or described events, activities, thoughts, beliefs, ideas (primarysource) or indirectly by someone who researched the events or paraphrased thedescriptions, thoughts, beliefs, or ideas (secondary source). Briefly describe yoursource.
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ARTIFACT/INFORMATION RECORD SHEET
1. Artifact/Information (circle one)
Description:
Source: Primary/Secondary (circle one)
Number:_______________
2. Artifact/Information (circle one)
Description:
Source: Primary/Secondary (circle one)
Number:_______________
3. Artifact/Information (circle one)
Description:
Source: Primary/Secondary (circle one)
Number:_______________
4. Artifact/Information (circle one)
Description:
Source: Primary/Secondary (circle one)
Number:_______________
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SECTION I I I:
PREPARING A DOCUMENTARY-STYLE REPORT
Objective:Work in cooperative groups to prepare a documentary report, focusing on an aspectof the cultural history of the Lake Pontchartrain Basin.
Materials: Paper and pencils/pens
Word processors/computers as available
Props (hats, backdrops, etc.)
Getting Ready:Schedule computer time. Students will need access to word processing programs.
Process:
Students work in their groups to complete writing descriptions and stories about theirselected artifacts, demonstrating how these artifacts are significant to the cultural his-tory of the area.
Students write short accounts or stories about the other information they have gathered(e.g., a section of a diary or a fascinating story about a notable person in the history ofthe Lake Pontchartrain Basin).
Students arrange their information chronologically.
In cooperative groups, students prepare a presentation of their work, developing ascript for their presentation. Encourage creativity; students may choose to illustrate apoint with a short skit or a song.
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SECTION IV:
DESIGNING A HISTORY BOX
Objectives:
Decorate a box with illustrations of selected historical events of the LakePontchartrain Basin.
Make a list of the artifacts to be included in the History Box.
Place the artifacts in the History Box in an order determined by the group.
Materials: Large, sturdy cardboard boxes (preferably with lids)
Paint/markers, etc. for illustrations
Paper, pens/pencils
Getting Ready:Arrange the classroom, providing working space for each group.
Obtain a plastic cover or drop cloth for art areas.
Process:Students assigned to the “designer/graphic artists” roles (See Group Assignmentshandout) choose and depict a scene about a significant event in the history of theLake/Basin.
Students make a list of the artifacts and information to be included in the History Box.
Students arrange all the artifacts, etc. in the History Box.
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SECTION V:
PRESENTING THE DOCUMENTARIES
Objective:
Make a presentation to the class of the work completed in Sections II, III, and IV.
Getting Ready:Prepare the classroom for the presentations. Think about audio-visual equipment, furniture arrangement, extra tables, and traffic flow.
Process:In cooperative groups, the students make presentations of their documentary, featuringthe artifacts, primary and secondary information, and the History Boxes.
Display the History Boxes.
“Debrief” the presentation. “What were the most significant facts you learned?” “What wasthe most surprising fact or artifact?” “What were the strengths of each presentation?” “Whatwould you change if you were to repeat the presentation?” “What suggestions would you giveto future researchers?”
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CONDUCTING HISTORICAL RESEARCH
IN LAKE PONTCHARTRAIN BASINThere are many sources of historical information, but there is no one place
that contains all the information you may need on a topic. So thoroughresearch involves some legwork. Below is a list of resources for conductingresearch on the history of the Lake Pontchartrain Basin.
HISTORICAL INFORMATION RESOURCES
Selected MuseumsThere are a number of excellent museums dealing with the history of the
Lake Pontchartrain Basin. The following are some that will be useful forresearch purposes:
NEW ORLEANS:
LOUISIANA STATE MUSEUM COMPLEX: call for group rates. (504) 568-6968. 751 Chartres St. 70116
THE CABILDO: in Jackson Square presents many aspects of Louisiana in both tradi-tional and interactive exhibits. (504) 568-8975. 701 Chartres St. 70116.
THE PRESBYTERE: also in Jackson Square contains a permanent collection of historicinterest as well as temporary exhibits on a variety of topics. (504) 568-6985. 751 Chartres St. 70116.
1850 HOUSE: a recreation of a typical New Orleans family dwelling in the mid- 19th Century. Guided walking tours of the French Quarter begin here. (504) 524-9118. 523 Saint Ann St. 70116.
THE OLD U.S. MINT: contains exhibits on jazz and Mardi Gras history. Research maybe conducted at the Louisiana Historical Center at the Old U.S. Mint. (504) 568-6993.400 Esplanade Ave. 70116.
HISTORIC NEW ORLEANS COLLECTION: another source of historic documents and maps.There also are special exhibits scheduled on topics related to Louisiana history.(504) 523-4662. 533 Royal St. 70130.
HERMANN-GRIMA HISTORIC HOUSE: depicts the lifestyle of a wealthy Creole family ofthe 19th Century. (504) 525-5661. 820 Saint Louis St. 70112.
GALLIER HOUSE: the restored 19th-century house of architect James Gallier. (504) 523-6722. 1132 Royal St. 70116.
PITOT HOUSE: a restored 18th-century plantation house on Bayou St. John. (504) 482-0312. 1440 Moss St. 70119.
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KENNER:
LOUISIANA WILDLIFE AND FISHERIES MUSEUM and CANNES BRULEE NATIVE AMERICAN
CENTER OF THE GULF SOUTH: The wildlife museum houses a large collection of pre-served Louisiana species of birds and mammals as well as a freshwater aquarium withnative species. The Native American Center comprises an outdoor reconstructed NativeAmerican village and there is an active program of demonstrations of Native Americanculture, including building traditional structures, pirogue making, beading, dancing and story-telling. In Kenner, you can also see memorabilia from the oldPontchartrain Beach Amusement Park at City Hall on Williams Boulevard. (504) 468-7232. 303 Williams Boulevard at Rivertown, Kenner 70062.
MADISONVILLE:
MADISONVILLE MUSEUM: features exhibits of local wildlife, Native American culture, andmaritime history. Call ahead; only open on weekends. (985) 845-2100. 201 Cedar St. 70447.
LACOMBE:
BAYOU LACOMBE RURAL MUSEUM: features artifacts from daily rural life of the l9thCentury, information about the Choctaw Culture of the region, as well as FatherAdrien Rouquette, local priest who lived with the Choctaws. (985) 882-5146.61115 Saint Mary St. 70445.
ST. BERNARD:
ISLENOS MUSEUM: contains artifacts and exhibits pertaining to the Islenos culture fromthe Canary Islands. Descendants of Islenos settlers act as curators of the museum.(504) 682-0862. 1357 Bayou Rd. 70085.
SELECTED PLANTATION HOUSES:The following three plantation houses are situated close together in St. CharlesParish. They could provide an opportunity for students to make comparisons andexplore the French Colonial plantation life.
DESTREHAN PLANTATION: a plantation house dating back to French Colonial days.(985) 764-9315. 13034 River Rd. 70047.
ORMOND PLANTATION: built before 1790, this is another French Colonial plantationhouse. (985) 764-8544. 13786 River Rd. 70047.
LABRANCHE PLANTATION DEPENDENCY HOUSE: French Colonial plantation housebuilt in the 1790s. (985) 468-8843. 11244 River Rd., St. Rose 70087.
TEZCUCO PLANTATION: (225) 562-3929. 3138 Highway 44, Darrow 70725.
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The River Road African American Museum and Gallery: (504) 644-7955. 3138 Highway 44, Convent 70723.
LIBRARIES: The regional libraries contain a wealth of information if you are willing to
spend some time on research. Besides books on the shelf, libraries also havemicrofilm catalogs which are a valuable source for old newspaper and maga-zine articles. Several regional libraries have Louisiana Rooms or Collectionsand archives containing valuable information. These two resources contain reference-only materials, so be prepared to use a coin-operated copy machine.Cultural resource documents prepared by professional archaeologists are excellent sources of historical information, but are not always easy to access.Ask your librarian about these.
NEW ORLEANS PUBLIC LIBRARY: The central library on Loyola Avenue has been the offi-cial repository for historical information in the Greater New Orleans region for a longtime, so it has a more complete collection the other parish libraries. Visit the LouisianaRoom and the archives to collect information. (504) 529-7323. 219 Loyola Ave. 70112
JEFFERSON PARISH PUBLIC LIBRARY: Jefferson Parish has a Louisiana Collection Room.Ask the librarian to help locate appropriate books on the topic you are researching. Remem-ber to use the microfilm catalog. (504)838-1100. 4747 W. Napoleon Ave., Metairie 70001.
OTHER REGIONAL LIBRARIES: Call your parish library to find out details on its resources.
UNIVERSITY OF NEW ORLEANS LIBRARY: has a Louisiana Collection room and anarchive section. (504) 280-6354. 2000 Lakeshore Dr. 70148.
TULANE UNIVERSITY LIBRARY: has a Louisiana Collection room and the Hogan JazzArchives. (504) 865-5685. 6823 St. Charles Ave. 70130.
Contact the university libraries in your parish.
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BIBLIOGRAPHYBell, R. and Giordano, M. “The Big Picture: Slaves’ History Starting to Echo at
Plantation,” The Times-Picayune, Monday, December 8, 1996, Section A.
Bezou, Henry C. (1973). Metairie: A Tongue of Land to Pasture.Pelican Publishing:Gretna.
Brasseaux, C. A. (1979). A Comparative View of French Louisiana, 1699 and 1762:The Journals of Pierre LeMoyne d’Iberville and Jean Jacques-Blaise d’Abbadie.Center for Louisiana Studies, University of Southwestern Louisiana: Lafayette.
Davis, E. A. (1965). Louisiana, A Narrative History. Claitor’s Book Store: BatonRouge.
Dufour, Charles L. (1967). Ten Flags in the Wind: The Story of Louisiana. Harper andRow: New York.
Garvey, Joan B., Widmer, M. L. (1982). Beautiful Crescent: A History of New Orleans. Garmer Press: New Orleans.
Kniffen, F. B. (1985). The Indians of Louisiana. Pelican Publishing: Gretna.
Goins, C. R. and Caldwell, J. M. (1995). Historical Atlas of Louisiana, University ofOklahoma Press, Normon.
Kniffen F. B., Gregory, H. F., & Stokes, G. A. (1987). The Historic Indian Tribes ofLouisiana. Louisiana State University Press: Baton Rouge.
McWilliams, R. G. (1981). Fleur de Lys and Calumet: Being the Penicaut Narrativeof French Adventure in Louisiana. The University of Alabama Press: Tuscaloosa.
Maygarden, B. (1996). Earth Search, Inc., New Orleans. Personal Interview.
Pearson, C. E., Castille, G. J., Davis, D., Redard, T. E., & Saltus, R. A. (1989). AHistory of Waterborne Commerce and Transportation Within the U.S. Army Corps ofEngineers New Orleans District and an Inventory of Known Underwater CulturalResources. Cultural Resources Report No. COELMN/PD-88/11, CoastalEnvironments, Inc.: Baton Rouge. Prepared for the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers,New Orleans District.
Pearson, C. E., Reeves, W. D., & Allen, R. S. Jr. (1993). Remote Sensing Survey ofBayou LaBranche Wetlands Restoration Borrow Area, St. Charles Paris, Louisiana,Cultural Resource Series Report No. COELMN/PO-93/06 Coastal Environments,Inc.: Baton Rouge. Prepared for the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, New OrleansDistrict.
Roberts, W. A. (1946). Lake Pontchartrain, Bobbs-Merrill: New York.
Taylor, Joe Gray (1976). Louisiana: A Bicentennial History, American Association forState and Local History. Norton: New York.
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ACTIVITY: “Marsh Mysteries”: A Quiz on Louisiana’s Wetlands
Objectives: Use the Internet to create and score quizzes on wetlands, the Lake Pontchartrain Basin, or other topics.
Teaching Materials:
Computer with internet provider
Copies of “Marsh Mysteries: A Quiz on Louisiana’s Wetlands” handout (Page 287)
Getting Ready:
Familiarize yourself with the website: http://www.funbrain.com.
Organize students into partner pairs, if desired.
Be sure that students are familiar with use of the Internet and with the website.
Review the functions of Quiz Lab with students.
Procedure:Sign on to Quiz Lab by going to http://www.funbrain.com and clicking on the Quiz Lab icon.
If you are a registered user, log on to the site. If you are not already registered, you may do so easily by following the simple steps outlined on the site.
Once you have a username and password, you can access your private area within Quiz Lab. You can sign on from any computer connected to the Internet.
Select a “Secret Word” for your students to use when signing on to take this particular quiz or any others you choose to make.
To construct a quiz on Louisiana’s wetlands, click on the “Create A New Quiz” link. Follow the online prompts about the type of quiz you want to make. Enter the questions and otherinformation about your quiz.
When your students sign on, they will see the quiz that you selected for them. They take the quiz by answering each of the questions as they are presented.
At the end of the day or week (your choice), the results of student quizzes will be e-mailed directly to you. At any time, you can sign in and see your students’ scores for any of yourquizzes by logging in with your username and password. Click on “View Student Scores” or“Gradebook.” You can even see details about any questions answered incorrectly.
Change any questions in any of your quizzes by selecting “View and Edit Quizzes.” 285LPBF/UNO
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Extensions: Make a handout for your students that tells them how to enter the Quiz Lab using their secret word. Click on the “Student Handout” link and print thepage.
To access the huge library of quizzes made by other teachers, click on “Ready-Made Quizzes.” Select the grade level and subject of the type of quiz you want.You will then see a list of quizzes from which to select. Browse the selectionscarefully. If the one you choose meets your needs, click on “Import Quiz.”Otherwise, hit the BACK button to browse more quizzes. We have entered a quizentitled “ LA Marsh Mysteries” using some of the questions provided in this les-son. Look for it in Quiz Lab.
Share the wealth! Add your own quizzes to the quiz bank for other teachers to use.
Assessment Procedures:Use the handout “Marsh Mysteries: A Quiz on Louisiana’s Wetlands” for student self-assessment of wetlands knowledge.
Student scores on the Internet quiz “Marsh Mysteries” will be e-mailed to the teacher.
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NAME________________________________________________________ DATE___________________
“Marsh Mysteries”A Quiz on Louisiana’s Wetlands
In this activity you will check your knowledge of Louisiana wetlands by usingthe Internet to take an online quiz. When you have finished taking the quiz, yourscore will be reported to your teacher by e-mail. Just follow these simple direc-tions:
I. Access the website for Quiz Lab: www.funbrain.com.
Go to the “KIDS” section.
Click on “Take Your Teacher’s Quiz” to access the “Student Login” screen.
Enter your name and the secret word provided to you by your teacher.
As soon as you sign in you will see the quiz prepared by your teacher.
Take the quiz by answering each of the questions as they are presented by Quiz Lab.
That’s it! Your score will be e-mailed to your teacher.
II. How well did you do? What did you learn? Complete this self-assessment after you’ve taken the quiz.
Something difficult or confusing about the quiz was_____________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________________________
Something interesting or fun about the quiz was________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________________________
The most important thing I learned from taking the quiz was____________________________
_____________________________________________________________________________________
I could improve my performance on the quiz by_________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________________________
The quiz made me want to learn more about ___________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________________________
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“Marsh Mysteries”A Quiz on Louisiana’s Wetlands
The majority of these questions came from the March 18, 2001 Times-Picayunearticle “Marsh Madness,” written by Bob Marshall, Outdoors Editor of the Times-Picayune.
The largest expanse of wetlands in the continental United States is in(a) Chesapeake Bay (b) Alaska (c) Louisiana
How much coastal land has Louisiana lost due to erosion?(a) 10,000 acres (b) 50,000 acres (c) more than 1,000 square miles
The major cause of Louisiana’s coastal land loss has been(a) natural subsidence of deltas (b) hurricanes(c) nutria (d) canal dredging
A wetland is (a) a natural resource (b) a home to wildlife (c) a reservoir for floodwaters (d) all of these
The heaviest Louisiana snowfall ever was (a) 2 inches (b) 10 inches (c) 24 inches (d) 8 inches
Wetlands are(a) fragile ecosystems (b) being developed at a fast rate(c) often polluted by human actions (d) all of these
Louisiana leads the nation in seafood production.(a) true (b) false
The heaviest single-day rainfall in coastal Louisiana was(a) 22 inches (b) 12 inches (c) 35 inches (d) 3 feet
Louisiana contains the nation’s most prolific estuaries.(a) true (b) false (c) probably
How many species of snakes are found in the coastal wetlands?(a) 27 (b) 17 (c) 10 (d) none
Ducks fly south and trees drop their leaves during the fall due to falling temperatures.(a) true (b) false
How many species of frogs are found in coastal Louisiana?(a) 18 (b) 27 (c) 45
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The driest year on record in Louisiana was 2000.(a) true (b) false
The following animals once thrived in Louisiana. (a) elk (b) bison (c) grizzly bear(d) red wolf (e) all of these
The state fish is(a) largemouth bass (b)crappie(c)speckled trout (d) bullhead catfish
The driest month of the year in Louisiana is(a) November (b) June(c) March (d) October
The state bird is the(a) white pelican (b) brown pelican(c) bald eagle (d) mockingbird
White pelicans migrate to Louisiana in the winter from(a) Florida (b) Cuba (c) Chalmette (d) American NW & Canadian West
The state reptile is the(a) king cobra (b) king snake(c) alligator (d) water moccasin
The state amphibian is the(a) green tree frog (b) bull frog (c) toad (d) box turtle
Louisiana is one of the oldest land masses in the nation.(a) true (b) false
There are more white-tailed deer and other wildlife in Louisiana today than 50 years ago.(a) true (b) false
Louisiana’s record high temperature was(a) 105°F, July 1997 (b) 110°F, July 1995 (c) 114°F, August 1936
The primary plant in the salt marsh is(a) Spartina alterniflora (b) Roseau cane(c) St. Augustine grass (d) Widgeon grass
The coastal marsh is New Orleans’ greatest protection against hurricanes.(a) true (b) false
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C According to federal figures, 40% of thewetlands left in the continental U.S.(about 7,000 square miles) are inLouisiana, far more than any other state.Remember: 80% of the nation’s wetlandloss has already occurred in Louisiana!
C LSU reported that from 1932-90,687,502 acres (more than 1,000 squaremiles) were lost, an area about the size ofRhode Island. Since then, the loss hasaveraged about 25-35 square miles peryear.
D A recent study by the federal govern-ment says 44% of Louisiana’s coastal landloss is due to canal dredging: 31% for oiland gas development; 13% for shipping.
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False. Or true, depending on the year!Alaska is usually #1, with Louisiana #2,but it depends on the year.
A It fell on Hackberry, LA in CameronParish on August 29, 1962.
Probably. State and federal research hasshown that 85% of the commercial catch inthe Gulf of Mexico depends on estuaries,most of which are in Louisiana.
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False. It’s shorter days, not lower temper-atures. Researchers believe that the num-ber of hours of light in a day is the key toautumnal changes in nature.
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False. Though 2000 was a pretty dry yearwith 48.19 inches of rainfall, Louisiana’sdriest was 1889 when only 36.81 inches ofrain were recorded.
E Surprise! All were abundant when thefirst Europeans arrived in the 17thCentury. Habitat loss and unregulatedhunting drove these species from thestate. LA Department of Wildlife andFisheries is trying to reintroduce the redwolf to south Louisiana.
B Crappie is also known as sac-a-lait.
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False. Louisiana consists of thick layers ofalluvial sediments that, in geologic terms,are relatively young. They’re not nearly asold as some of the rocks in states likeTennessee and Colorado.
True. In the early 1900s, habitat loss and unregulated hunting almost wipedout whitetail deer and most other game animals in Louisiana. Conservationgroups organized in the 1930s by sportsmen initiated a comeback.
C Plain Dealing, LA recorded 114° F onAugust 10, 1936.
A Spartina alterniflora is also known asoyster grass. Its roots hold soil togetherand its stems provide food for mammals.
True. Scientists say 2-3 miles of marshwill reduce a storm surge by one foot. Thisis critical for New Orleans, a “city in asaucer” that is 15 feet below sea level insome places.
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